1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor wafer mounting method and a semiconductor wafer mounting apparatus in which a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as a “wafer”) subjected to a back grinding process that is stacked via a spacer such as an inserting paper in a receiving container is unloaded from the container, and then is mounted onto a ring frame via a supporting adhesive tape.
2. Description of the Related Art
A plurality of semiconductor wafers and spacers are alternately stacked in a container for transporting the semiconductor wafers to every process. When the semiconductor wafer is transported out of the container with a front surface thereof being suction-held, the spacer on a back surface side of the semiconductor wafer adheres to a back surface of the semiconductor wafer due to static electricity. Then a spacer retaining mechanism is provided for separating the spacer from the back surface of the semiconductor wafer. See Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-212430A.
An operator manually houses the semiconductor wafer and the spacer into the container. As a result, the following problem may arise. That is, a given number of semiconductor wafers should be housed, but the number of semiconductor wafers, which differs from the given number, may possibly be housed.
Moreover, the wafer and the spacer should be stacked alternately, but an operator may possibly house the wafer and the spacer without noticing of two or more stacked wafers or spacers. That is because the wafer and the spacer are each thin. In this case, the transport device changes the order of transportation since it transports the wafer and the spacer alternately to a given position. Consequently, the following problems may arise. That is, a wafer is accidentally transported to a spacer-receiving container for spacer and is disposed of, or a ring frame and a spacer are mounted on a supporting adhesive tape.
Furthermore, a wafer may be housed in the container with front and back surfaces thereof being reversed. In this case, there arises a problem that the wafer with the front and back surfaces thereof being reversed may be mounted on the ring frame.